circulate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to cause to move around

   The rumor circulated for a few weeks before the facts came out and put it to bed.

2. 2
   verb

   to cause to become widely known

   The rumours circulated through the school.

3. 3
   verb

   to move around freely

   They circulate among royalty.

4. 4
   verb

   to move through a space, circuit or system, returning to the starting point

   Blood circulates in my veins.

5. 5
   verb

   to cause to move in a circuit or system

   The fan circulates the air in the room.

6. 6
   verb

   to cause be distributed

   The head of department circulated the letter among the employees.

7. 7
   verb

   to move from person to person, as at a party

   In both the 2005 and 2013 papal elections there were whispers circulating that back in 1976 Francis had failed to help the two priests in their hour of need.

8. 8
   verb

   to spread or disseminate

   to circulate money or gossip

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin circulātus, perfect passive participle of Late Latin circulō (“to make circular, encircle”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), a later collateral form of circulor (“form a circle (of men) around oneself”), from circulus (“a circle”). See also Middle English circulat(e) (“(alchemy) changed by continuous distillation in a closed vessel”).